Moeller: Starting in New Orleans, Lawrence Wants To Make It Look Easy

 Welcome to the Big Easy.

The Jaguars will be in New Orleans Saturday to officially open the season. These are two teams that don’t have much of a history between them, as there have only been eight regular-season meetings, the last with the Jaguars pulling out a 31-24 victory in a pretty interesting game.

In a joint practice Thursday, the Jaguars apparently made it look relatively easy.

For Lawrence, the city’s “Big Easy” moniker could be his for the season.

He has to make it look easy. 

They started slowly, but eventually Trevor Lawrence looked good, tossing a pair of touchdown passes to Jakobi Meyers - looking like his new favorite target- song with Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr. This was after Lawrence was picked off on his first pass.

It was another untimely throw that Lawrence will need to correct. 

Saturday night, the two teams will tee it up for real, but the regulars will likely be done before halftime. 

Lawrence’s four-touchdown pillage should be an indicator of what will be coming during the season. 

The six-year quarterback will have plenty of targets this season, and rookie tight end Nate Boerkircher and incumbent Brenton Strange. Don’t forget Travis Hunter, who will get plenty of looks on offense.  

Lawrence had a banner season last year, throwing for more than 4,000 yards with 29 touchdowns and rushing for career-high 359 yards and scoring nine times on the ground. 

With multiple passing weapons and potential effective running game, Lawrence will have to make it look easy. 

It will be interesting to see what Lawrence can do Saturday night against a better-than-average Saints’ passing defense. The Jaguars’ defense won't see rising star quarterback Tyler Shough, who revived the team midway through last season.

Instead, Jacksonville’s eyes will be on Lawrence to see if he can make it look easy with plenty of weapons at his disposal.